Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K3/00—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing
  • F16K3/02—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor
  • F16K3/04—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor with pivoted closure members
  • F16K3/06—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor with pivoted closure members in the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages
  • F16K3/08—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor with pivoted closure members in the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages with circular plates rotatable around their centres
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
  • G05D23/00—Control of temperature
  • G05D23/01—Control of temperature without auxiliary power
  • G05D23/13—Control of temperature without auxiliary power by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K11/00—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves
  • F16K11/02—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
  • F16K11/06—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements
  • F16K11/072—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members
  • F16K11/074—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members with flat sealing faces
  • F16K11/0743—Multiple-way valves, e.g. mixing valves; Pipe fittings incorporating such valves with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit comprising only sliding valves, i.e. sliding closure elements with pivoted closure members with flat sealing faces with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates

Definitions

• the field of this invention relates to a thermostatically controlled mixing valve and more particularly to a thermostatic controlled mixing valve with a volume control feature incorporated therein.
• thermostatic control for handle mixer valves are well known.
• One reason for thermostatic control is to eliminate constant readjustment of the valve when the temperature of the hot water supply fluctuates.
• the temperature of the hot water supply may vary substan ⁇ tially.
• the pressure within the cold water line may also vary thus changing the proportions of hot and cold water flow and thereby fluctuating the tempera ⁇ ture of the mixed water.
• Known thermostatic valves have packaging problems and are often significantly bulkier than standard mixing valves that do not incorporate the thermostatic regulation. This bulkiness is due to the flow path that has always been used for thermostatic faucets, namely the supply inlets approach the centrally located thermostatic valve from a radially outer posi ⁇ tion.
• the volume or flow control valves may be installed either downstream or upstream from the thermo- static valve element.
• the flow is regulated downstream of the thermostatic element within the mixed water flow, installation of non-return valves are needed in order to prevent the possibility of communication between the hot water supply and the cold water supply, .
• volume control of the hot and cold water supplies is upstream of the thermostatic valve before the water is mixed, the return valves are not needed. For this economic reason, most thermostatic mixing valves have the volume control upstream of the thermostatic element.
• thermo ⁇ static device when the flow is regulated with respect to the hot and cold water supplies, the thermo ⁇ static device is unable to maintain the constant temper ⁇ ature due to the variations of the flow rates. It is well known that when hot and cold water supply pressures are approximately equal or with the hot supply pressure being only slightly lower than the cold water pressure, the difference in flow rate or variation between the hot and cold water supplies is increased when the total flow is reduced and the rise in temperature can sometimes become significant. On the other hand, if the hot water supply pressure is substantially lower than the cold water supply pressure, as in often the case due the increased corrosion of the hot water pipelines, the difference in the flow rate or variation of the flow rate between the hot and cold water supplies is de ⁇ creased as the total flow rate is reduced.
• Contoured apertures in a pair of disc plate valves have been known to contour the water flow profile between the hot and cold water supplies.
• these plate valves are set to move both rotatably and trans ⁇ lationally with respect to each other to mechanically control both the total flow rate and the temperature mix of the hot and cold water.
• thermostatic valve that is easily assembled and controls the temperature of the mixed water output.
• thermostatic control built into a valve with flow control that provides proper thermostatic control at all flow rates.
• a thermostatic mixing valve includes a base having two supply ports for connection with hot and cold water supplies.
• a handle body is rotatably mounted onto the base and operably connected to a first valving surface with a first and second inlet passage therethrough for hot and cold water supplies.
• the first valving surface is operably positioned adjacent the two supply ports for controlling total flow rate of the water into the mixing valve.
• a second annular valving surface is axially movable within the handle between a fir ⁇ t seat in proximity to a first axial end of the annular valving surface and a second seat in proximity to a second axial opposite end of the annular valving surface for control ⁇ ling relative proportion of fluid from said fir ⁇ t and second inlets.
• a thermostat element is axially movably disposed within the mixing chamber and operably connect ⁇ ed to the annular valving surface to move the annular valving surface axially between the first and second seats for controlling the relative flow from the first and second inlet passage ⁇ into the mixing chamber in response to the temperature of fluid in the mixing chamber.
• the mixing chamber is in fluid communication with an outlet.
• the thermostatic mixing valve includes an internal body section having an upper annular flange that forms the second seat above an annular downstream end of the second inlet passage.
• the internal body section has an annular lower flange forming the fir ⁇ t ⁇ eat below an annular down ⁇ tream end of the first inlet pas ⁇ age.
• the internal body ⁇ ection has an annular middle flange forming a seal with the annular valving ⁇ urface to seal the annular downstream end of the re ⁇ pective inlet passages from each other within the radial confines of the annular valving surface.
• the internal body section has a central outlet pas ⁇ age extending therethrough in fluid communication with the mixing chamber.
• the thermostat element extend ⁇ axially down into the outlet pa ⁇ age of the internal body ⁇ ection and i ⁇ connected to said annular valving surface through a collar member with the collar member having apertures therethrough to provide flow of fluid from said first inlet passage through the mixing chamber and into the outlet pas ⁇ age that is operably connected to the outlet.
• a thermostatic mixing valve has a cold water inlet port and a hot water inlet port in communication with a base having two ⁇ upply ports.
• a handle body is rotatably mounted onto the base and is operably connect ⁇ ed to a first valving surface with two inlet pa ⁇ ages therethrough that are operably positioned adjacent the two supply ports for controlling total flow rate into the housing.
• a thermo ⁇ tat element i ⁇ operably connected to a second valving surface to move the second valvmg surface between a first and second seat for controlling the relative flow from the first and second inlet passages in response to the temperature of fluid in the mixing chamber.
• the ports and the first valving ⁇ urface are incorporated in two concentrically mounted plates that can be rotated with respect to each other and provided with openings therethrough for the controlled pas ⁇ age of the fluid through the two plates. At least one of the openings is shaped to modify the ratio of fluid flow through the first and second inlet passages such that the modification counter ⁇ the tendency toward a varia ⁇ tion in the ratio of the flow rate ⁇ through the first and ⁇ econd inlet pa ⁇ age ⁇ as a consequence of only the change of flow rates through the fir ⁇ t and ⁇ econd inlet pa ⁇ sages.
• the re ⁇ pective cold water pa ⁇ age is throttled less than the hot water passage during motion of the movable plate from full flow position to a closed position.
• the respective hot water passage resi ⁇ tance to fluid flow increases with the reciprocal displacement angle of the plates from the maximum flow po ⁇ ition toward the closing position, while the resi ⁇ tance in the respective cold water passage remains sub ⁇ tantially con ⁇ tant.
• the respective cold water passage resistance to fluid flow increases with the reciprocal displacement angle of the plates from the maximum flow position toward the closing position, while the resi ⁇ tance in the respective hot water passage remains substantially constant.
• the cartridge can be housed in a mixer valve flow regulator with volume or flow rate control di ⁇ c plates that have contoured apertures to a ⁇ ure ⁇ et flow ratio ⁇ between the hot and cold water ⁇ upplie ⁇ independent of the total flow rate through the di ⁇ c plate ⁇ .
• FIG. 1 i ⁇ a ⁇ ide segmented view of a thermo ⁇ static mixing valve in accordance with one embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is a plan view of a fixed plate for the flow rate regulation shown in figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a plan view of the movable plate shown in figure 1;
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the two plates ⁇ hown in an operating and fully open po ⁇ ition;
• Figure 5 i ⁇ a view ⁇ imilar to figure 4 with the plates shown in the partially clo ⁇ ed position;
• Figure 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the fixed plate
• Figure 7 illustrates a third embodiment of the fixed plate
• Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 8-8 shown in figure 7 and showing the movable plate in the fully open position;
• Figure 9 is a view similar to figure 8 illus- trating a modified profile of the port through the fixed plate shown in figure 8 with the movable plate moved to a partially closed position.
• a thermostatic mixing valve 10 include ⁇ a handle body 12 that i ⁇ rotatably mounted in piping fixture or other suitable piping fixture 14.
• the piping fixture 14 includes a cold water supply 16 and hot water supply 18.
• the handle body 12 is rotatably mounted to a faucet base 17 that is affixed within the fixture 14.
• the mixing valve includes a flow rate control valve 20 that includes two ceramic disc plates 22 and 24. Fixed ceramic disc plate 22 is mounted in base 17. Rotatable ceramic disc plate 24 is mounted to a bottom of a cartridge assembly 25.
• the cartridge assembly 25 includes a thermostatic con- trolled second valve 26 is mounted downstream from the flow control valve 20 within the handle body 12 to control the temperature of the mixed water flowing to an outlet pas ⁇ age 28.
• the thermostatic valve is described in detail in PCT Publications WO 95/30940 and 95/30939 and is incorporated herein by reference.
• the fixed ceramic disc plate 22 ha ⁇ re ⁇ pective cold and hot ⁇ upply port ⁇ 30 and 32 and a centrally located mixed water outlet port 34.
• the ceramic di ⁇ c plate 24 i ⁇ affixed to the rotatable handle body 12 via an internal body member 36 of the cartridge a ⁇ embly 25 for rotation with the handle body 12.
• the movable ceramic disc plate 24 has a cold water inlet 38 and hot water inlet 40 and a centrally located outlet aperture 42 that is in constant alignment with outlet port 34 of fixed ceramic disc plate 22.
• the rotation of the handle body 12 rotates the ceramic disc plate 24 with re ⁇ pect to di ⁇ c plate 22 ⁇ electively align or misalign the inlet ⁇ 38 and 40 with inlet ⁇ 30 and 32 to control the total flow rate of the hot and cold water.
• the detail ⁇ of the contour of the supply ports 30 and 32 and the inlets 40 and 42 through the two ceramic disc plates 22 and 24 is described in more detail as follows.
• the internal body member 36 has a hot water inlet pas ⁇ age 44 aligned with the hot water inlet 40 and a cold water inlet pa ⁇ age 46 aligned with the cold water inlet 42.
• a central mixed water outlet 43 is in alignment with outlets 42, 34 and 28.
• the passage 44 has an annular shaped downstream end 48 adjacent an annular valve seat 50 in internal body member 36 and the axial lower end 52 of thermostatically controlled valve 26 which is annular in shape.
• the pas ⁇ age 46 has an annular shaped downstream end 54 adjacent an annular valve seat 56 and the axial upper end 58 of the annular shaped valve 26. Valve seat 56 is secured to the internal body member 36.
• the pas ⁇ age 46 pa ⁇ es axially through the annular valve 26 within it ⁇ radial confines.
• the internal body member 36 has an intermediate seal seat 60 that ⁇ eats a ⁇ eal 62 that seals off the passage 44 from 46 within the axial extent of the annular valve 26.
• the annular valve 26 is affixed to a collar 64 via a threaded engagement.
• a spring 66 bia ⁇ e ⁇ the valve 26 to engage the seat 56 and close off passage 46.
• the collar extends above the internal body section and is operatively affixed to body section 68 of thermostatic element 70.
• the thermostatic element has an expanding piston leg 72 that engages a safety spring release seat
• thermo ⁇ tatic a ⁇ embly 70 within the cartridge a ⁇ sembly 25.
• the body section 68 may extend into the central outlet passage 42 of the internal body 36.
• the cartridge as ⁇ embly 25 maintains its structural integrity because the annular valve 26 is entrapped between the internal body valve seat 50 and the upper seat 56.
• the thermo ⁇ tatic element 70 i ⁇ affixed to the collar which in turn is affixed to the annular valve 26.
• the spring element 66 is also en ⁇ trapped between the internal body 36 and the valve 26.
• the water flow from the cold water supply 16 passes up through the control valve 20 and axially upward through the internal body member with the cold water pas ⁇ ing radially outward through the adju ⁇ tably ⁇ ized gap 78 between the ⁇ eat 50 and annular valve 26 and into mixing chamber 80.
• the flow path from the hot water supply 18 passes ⁇ through the control valve 20 and axially upward through the internal body member with the hot water pa ⁇ ing radially outward through the adju ⁇ ta ⁇ bly sized gap 79 between the seat 56 and annular valve 26 to mixing chamber 80.
• thermo ⁇ tatic adjustment automatically slides the valve 26 axially to adjust the size of the two gaps 78 and 79.
• the specific internal construction of the thermostatic element 70 is well known in the art and is commercially available.
• the volume control valve 20 when in the closed position prevents any communication between water supplies 16 and 18 and thus the faucet need not be provided with non-return valves.
• Figure 2 shows the two ports 30 and 32.
• Ports 30 has the usual arched shape with constant width. Opening 32 however ha ⁇ a particular configuration di ⁇ clo ⁇ ing one embodiment of the invention.
• Section 90 has a constant and reduced width and expands into section 92 with an enlarged width.
• the movable plate 24 has two inlet ⁇ 38 and 40 who ⁇ e configuration i ⁇ the u ⁇ ual one with an arch of con ⁇ tant width.
• Figure 4 show the two plates superimposed onto each other at the full flow condition with the ports 30 and 32 fully aligned with inlets 38 and 40.
• the free cross-section through the ports 30 and inlet 38 varies directly in proportion to the displacement angle as is usually found in volume control valves.
• the hot water passage through port 32 and inlet 40 is throttled a greater proportion because at the start of the di ⁇ placement, the wider part 92 wa ⁇ covered by movable plate 24 until as ⁇ hown in figure 5 only the narrower part remain ⁇ uncovered with respect to inlet 40.
• the hot water supply flow volume is reduced or throttled at the beginning of the regulation action by a greater amount than the throt ⁇ tling of the cold water supply flow.
• This difference in throttling counteracts the tendency toward a rise in the temperature of the mixed water in terms of diminishing the mixed water flow rate.
• the width and extent of the section ⁇ 90 and 92 can be profiled ⁇ o as to compensate in the best fashion, the tendency toward a rise in the temperature of the mixed water and to enable the thermo ⁇ ⁇ tatic device to correct any re ⁇ idual variation.
• port 30 and inlet 38 are used for the passage of the hot water supply flow and port 32 and inlet 40 are used for the cold water supply flow, the identical behavior and compensation can be provided if the rotation of the movable valve di ⁇ c i ⁇ in the rever ⁇ e direction.
• the free cros ⁇ - ⁇ ection through the ports 30 and inlet 38 now ⁇ upplying hot water, varies directly in proportion to the displacement angle as is usually found in volume control valves.
• the pas ⁇ age through port 32 and inlet 40 (now ⁇ upplying cold water) is throttled a les ⁇ er proportion because at the start of the displacement, the narrower section 90 is covered by movable plate 24 until only the wider section 92 remains uncovered with respect to inlet 40. Consequently, the hot water supply flow volume is reduced or throttled at the beginning of the regulation action by a greater amount than the throttling of the cold water supply flow to achieve the same effect as before de ⁇ cribed.
• contoured port 32 is shown in fixed plate 22, the same effect can be achieved with the port 40 in the movable disc plate being contoured instead.
• the ⁇ ame effect can be accomplished by contouring either port 30 or inlet 38 provided that the contour is in the reverse fashion so that the hot water supply is throttled more than the cold water supply i.e. that the cold water is throttled less than the hot water supply as the valves are moved from the full on position toward the closed position.
• both port ⁇ in the ⁇ ame plate can be contoured or one contoured port can belong to one plate while the other contoured port can belong to the other plate.
• the ports of both plates may be cooperatively contoured to achieve the desired results of changing the ratio of flows.
• Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of plate 122 similar to the one ⁇ hown in figure 3 .
• the port 132 however has a gradual variable width.
• the resultant effect is the same as in the preceding case, but is more regularly sloped along the pertinent di ⁇ placement arc of the two plates.
• the width of port 232 at face 233 in plate 222 is uniform as shown in figure 7.
• the port 232 is steeped such that at the opposite face 236, a reduced or throttled open area 235 exist ⁇ which emptie ⁇ out into region 237 at face 233.
• the resistance again ⁇ t the flow keeps increasing gradually as the free cros ⁇ - ⁇ ection of the pas ⁇ age ⁇ hifts from directly over throttled section 237 toward only the distal end 239 of region 237.
• the result is ⁇ ubstantially identical to the one accom ⁇ plished by the variation of the width of the port in it ⁇ various regions.
• the port can be further modified as shown in figure 9 where the port 332 has throttled region 335 that opens up into region 337.
• the floor 341 of region 337 is sloped from region 235 to distal end 339 to achieve a variation rate that may be more desir- able in particular circumstances.
• FIG. 6-9 The configurations illustrated in figure ⁇ 6-9 can be a ⁇ ociated with the variation ⁇ in the cross ⁇ section of the port ⁇ rather than u ⁇ ed a ⁇ a ⁇ ub ⁇ titution of the variation in width.
• the variou ⁇ feature ⁇ my be combined with each other to produce the variation in relative flow rate ⁇ .
• thermostatic valve for a mixing faucet is able to correct the temperature of the outlet water for more varieties of plumbing conditions and water supplies.
• the invention increases the viabil ⁇ ity of thermostatic control valves where its mere action without the inventive concept is not ⁇ ufficient to maintain the outlet water at the preselected or desired temperature.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Multiple-Way Valves (AREA)
• Sliding Valves (AREA)
• Temperature-Responsive Valves (AREA)
• Accessories For Mixers (AREA)

Priority Applications (14)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=11413676

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Cited By (5)

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Citations (7)

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• 1995
  • 1995-06-27 IT IT95TO000533A patent/IT1276442B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1996
  • 1996-06-24 ES ES96923396T patent/ES2182999T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-06-24 PL PL96322885A patent/PL180983B1/pl unknown
  • 1996-06-24 RU RU98101460A patent/RU2144205C1/ru active
  • 1996-06-24 BR BR9608888A patent/BR9608888A/pt unknown
  • 1996-06-24 CA CA002216146A patent/CA2216146C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-06-24 WO PCT/US1996/010773 patent/WO1997001807A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1996-06-24 EP EP96923396A patent/EP0880734B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-06-24 KR KR1019970707612A patent/KR100289292B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-06-24 CN CN96195079A patent/CN1106602C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-06-24 JP JP9504497A patent/JP3034051B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-06-24 IL IL12270996A patent/IL122709A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-06-24 AU AU63916/96A patent/AU698151B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1996-06-24 TR TR97/01697T patent/TR199701697T1/xx unknown
  • 1996-06-24 DE DE69623658T patent/DE69623658T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-06-24 DK DK96923396T patent/DK0880734T3/da active
  • 1996-06-24 MX MX9709195A patent/MX9709195A/es not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-06-24 HU HU9801235A patent/HU220013B/hu not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-06-26 AR ARP960103327A patent/AR002604A1/es unknown
  • 1996-06-26 MY MYPI96002586A patent/MY132278A/en unknown

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